Bendigo Art Gallery will produce and deliver a major fashion exhibit which will focus on First Nations fashion and design items from around Australia thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s $20 million Regional Events Fund.
Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan today announced that Piinpi had secured funding and will be the first major exhibition in Australia dedicated to First Nations fashion and design.
Piinpi will showcase the strength and diversity of the growing Indigenous fashion and textile industry in Australia from the 1970s to the present day and will be a major highlight on the Bendigo events calendar.
The show will be curated by Bendigo Art Gallery First Nations Curator Shonae Hobson and will feature key works by Indigenous artists and designers from urban centres and remote art centres.
Bendigo Art Gallery will highlight the vitality of the Indigenous fashion industry through a contemporary lens and will feature designers from remote regional communities as well as established artists.
The Labor Government’s $20 million Regional Events Fund has delivered more than 200 events across the state, helping rural and regional towns secure strong calendars of events which create local jobs and provide compelling attractions for community members.
Tourism is crucial to the Goldfields region, with more than 7.7 million domestic and international visitors who spent an estimated $1.3 billion in the year ending June 2019.
Piinpi will be held at the Bendigo Art Gallery from July to October 2020. For more information visit www.bendigoartgallery.com.au
Quote attributable to Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan
“We’re proud to support events like Piinpi that attract visitors from across Victoria and beyond to Bendigo, generating significant economic benefits for our region.”
Quote attributable to Director Bendigo Art Gallery Jessica Bridgfoot
“We’d like to thank the Victorian Government for investing in regional tourism and local businesses by supporting significant events such as Piinpi – which showcases our country’s vibrant and unique First Nations culture.”